This is the second post with the title Prevent Cancer. Below are several suggestions for preventing cancer. Read the previous article for my thoughts on whether cancer is preventable and my opinions on that matter. Each suggestion comes with a one sentence explanation. For more information please check some of the citations in my previous article.
9.) Drink lots of water. Water is the best detoxifier in the world
10.) Eat dark colored foods. Broccoli is one of the best cancer fighters in the world.
11.) Eat clean foods. Go organic and antibiotic free whenever your budget allows it.
12.) Eat Whole Grains. Whole Grain cereals and breads are literally lifesavers for many people.
13.) Breathe Deeply. The more oxygen you take in the better quality of red blood cells (which fight cancer) you will have in your body.
14.) Lower Consumption of Red Meat. Red meat is a cancer fuel.
15.) Watch Less TV. Use the time to be on your feet, doing something active (even yard work, walking the dog or going to visit on neighbor are much better uses of your time).
16.) Drink Green Tea. Green Tea is loaded with chemicals (healthy ones) that fight many types of cancers.
17.) Here are some of the top suggestions that didn't make the top 16 for various reasons, but they are also great preventative measures: Eat Brazil Nuts, Stop Drinking Soda, Eat Garlic, Eat a Red Sauce Pasta Dish weekly, get 15 mins of sun per day, Eat Kiwi, Marinate Meat before cooking, Maximize a healthy attitude of gratitude, Eat onions, eat red grapes, cut out pickled foods and eat the alternative/fresh version cucumbers instead of pickles.
Hope a few of these will become a part of your lifestyle.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Friday, September 4, 2015
Prevent Cancer Pt. 1
I have been interested in cancer prevention for many years. How can we fight back against this awful disease? Is it even possible to fight back or are we helpless against its attack, if and when, it comes? I did a good bit of reading for this post, before deciding to write. There are a couple of theories. One is that cancer is completely hereditary and that you will either get it or you won't. At the other end of the spectrum of belief is that cancer is completely and totally a lifestyle disease and that you can completely prevent it if you eat and live right. I fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. Some cancers are hereditary and will attack certain individuals regardless of the steps they take to prevent it. However, many cancers are preventable based upon lifestyle choices. I believe that you can take control and lower the odds that you will be afflicted by this awful disease.
Even if I am wrong in my assessment that you can actively prevent cancer, all of the habits below will translate into a healthier lifestyle and lower risk of other diseases. I would rather die with my boots on, so to speak than just sit back and let stuff happen to me. I am choosing to be proactive in my search for a healthy life.
I combined 4 different posts from magazines and blogs to compile my "top prevents" list. I am going to post these in two separate posts. Do your own research. Here are my sources 1.) Prevention Magazine, 11-16-11 article by Richard Laliberte 2.) Dr. Jerod Ochesndorf, personal website 3.) Article in Readers Digest entitled "30 Ways to prevent Cancer 4.) "10 Tips for Avoiding Cancer" web article. Not every preventative suggestion I list appeared on each of the researched lists, but most appeared in multiple articles. Most of these are basic, common sense solutions, but as I have previously posted "common sense is not very common nowadays."
This is not an exhaustive list and it is not comprehensive. I am sure that there are many preventative habits that I am not listing here. However, here a few with a one sentence explanation. You can do further research on your own if you want a more in-depth look at each prevent.
1.) NO Tobacco! Avoid at all costs for a healthier life.
2.) Lower Your Alcohol Consumption. Zero is best, less is always better than more for cancer prevention.
3.) Avoid Dry Cleaners. There are pretty nasty chemicals that are regularly used in the dry cleaning process.
4.) Stop eating French Fries and Potato Chips. These are some of the worst foods to eat if you desire to be cancer free.
5.) Filter tap water. According two several of the articles/posts municipal water is pretty full of carcinogens that can lead to cancer.
6.) Exercise More! A minimum should be around 2 hours per week or 1/2 and hour 4 times a week.
7.) Stop topping off your tank. By filling all the way up you release very harmful vapors into the air and even can splash gas onto your clothes and skin.
8.) Breathe deeply as often as possible. More oxygen equals more red blood cells/better quality of blood which can filter all kinds of harmful stuff out of your body.
More to come in a post later this weekend. Pick a few of the above and start fighting back against cancer risks today.
Even if I am wrong in my assessment that you can actively prevent cancer, all of the habits below will translate into a healthier lifestyle and lower risk of other diseases. I would rather die with my boots on, so to speak than just sit back and let stuff happen to me. I am choosing to be proactive in my search for a healthy life.
I combined 4 different posts from magazines and blogs to compile my "top prevents" list. I am going to post these in two separate posts. Do your own research. Here are my sources 1.) Prevention Magazine, 11-16-11 article by Richard Laliberte 2.) Dr. Jerod Ochesndorf, personal website 3.) Article in Readers Digest entitled "30 Ways to prevent Cancer 4.) "10 Tips for Avoiding Cancer" web article. Not every preventative suggestion I list appeared on each of the researched lists, but most appeared in multiple articles. Most of these are basic, common sense solutions, but as I have previously posted "common sense is not very common nowadays."
This is not an exhaustive list and it is not comprehensive. I am sure that there are many preventative habits that I am not listing here. However, here a few with a one sentence explanation. You can do further research on your own if you want a more in-depth look at each prevent.
1.) NO Tobacco! Avoid at all costs for a healthier life.
2.) Lower Your Alcohol Consumption. Zero is best, less is always better than more for cancer prevention.
3.) Avoid Dry Cleaners. There are pretty nasty chemicals that are regularly used in the dry cleaning process.
4.) Stop eating French Fries and Potato Chips. These are some of the worst foods to eat if you desire to be cancer free.
5.) Filter tap water. According two several of the articles/posts municipal water is pretty full of carcinogens that can lead to cancer.
6.) Exercise More! A minimum should be around 2 hours per week or 1/2 and hour 4 times a week.
7.) Stop topping off your tank. By filling all the way up you release very harmful vapors into the air and even can splash gas onto your clothes and skin.
8.) Breathe deeply as often as possible. More oxygen equals more red blood cells/better quality of blood which can filter all kinds of harmful stuff out of your body.
More to come in a post later this weekend. Pick a few of the above and start fighting back against cancer risks today.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Drink More... Water
I would love to drink more water. I have every intention of doing so. I know all the information that says that if I would drink more water, I would be healthier. Sometimes I do really well. Days when I am not working or days when I am exercising alot I do really well. However, days when I am busy and my schedule is hectic I seem to really struggle. Does that sound like you? Let's look at some reasons why we all should be drinking more water and then a couple strategies to make it happen.
Benefits of increased water consumption:
1.) Better bodily cleansing. Water cleanses the body of toxins, dead blood cells and many other bad things. When you are well-hydrated this function can perform at top level and you will have a clean body. I have never had kidney stones (they sound awful) but they are a major motivator for me to keep drinking water instead of tea and soda.
2.) Better Digestive and Elimination of solids. Water is essential to digestion and processing of solids. Water will keep things moving regularly and even help to eliminate some of that stuff that has been stored up in your colon and intestines for quite a while. Good hydration can keep you feeling comfortable down below and help clean things out properly.
3.) Skin tone and clarity. Again the theme continues. When you drink plenty of water your body is cleaner. One place that clean look really shows up is your skin. Your face will be cleaner and less oily which will improve its overall look. One of the tests for dehydration involves how your skin functions. Water is very important to skin health and appearance.
4.) Avoid that 2:30 feeling. It seems like at about 2:30 every afternoon I start to drag and get hungry. This feeling may be dehydration instead of fatigue or hunger. Many times a hungry feeling can indicate a lack of water instead of a lack of food. Also that sluggish feeling is typically related to hydration. A good flow of water in the afternoon can help relieve these symptoms and keep you energetic all the way through the afternoon.
5.) When you up the amount of water you are drinking you will usually have to reduce the amount of soda/tea/sugary drinks you can consume. Drinking a cup of water before your meal will reduce the amount of room in your stomach and you will feel full faster. Less Calories! Here's some basic math. If you can reduce your calories from soda/tea/sugary drinks by 350 per day (typical amount of calories in a gas station soda) and save the money you spend (my local convenience store is selling any size drink for $1) from now till Christmas you could cut about 7 pounds of weight and save around $100. You can use that money to buy a new Christmas outfit since you will be a few sizes smaller.
A few strategies to help you drink more water:
-Carry a water bottle. You tend to drink whatever is near and handy. Fill it/Drain it three to four times a day to see a major difference in your health and well being.
-Put yourself on a once a week soda purchase plan. Cutting soda out completely is tough to do, but by getting our habit under control we can save thousands of calories a week. Make it a money issue in addition to health. If you are normally spending $15 (in gas stations, at machines, groccery stores and at restaurants) per week, cut that back to $3 per week and bank the other $12. As you see your bank account growing you should also see your waist slimming.
Today is a Monday and tomorrow is a new month. Beginning of weeks and months are a great time to begin new habits. Good Luck!
Benefits of increased water consumption:
1.) Better bodily cleansing. Water cleanses the body of toxins, dead blood cells and many other bad things. When you are well-hydrated this function can perform at top level and you will have a clean body. I have never had kidney stones (they sound awful) but they are a major motivator for me to keep drinking water instead of tea and soda.
2.) Better Digestive and Elimination of solids. Water is essential to digestion and processing of solids. Water will keep things moving regularly and even help to eliminate some of that stuff that has been stored up in your colon and intestines for quite a while. Good hydration can keep you feeling comfortable down below and help clean things out properly.
3.) Skin tone and clarity. Again the theme continues. When you drink plenty of water your body is cleaner. One place that clean look really shows up is your skin. Your face will be cleaner and less oily which will improve its overall look. One of the tests for dehydration involves how your skin functions. Water is very important to skin health and appearance.
4.) Avoid that 2:30 feeling. It seems like at about 2:30 every afternoon I start to drag and get hungry. This feeling may be dehydration instead of fatigue or hunger. Many times a hungry feeling can indicate a lack of water instead of a lack of food. Also that sluggish feeling is typically related to hydration. A good flow of water in the afternoon can help relieve these symptoms and keep you energetic all the way through the afternoon.
5.) When you up the amount of water you are drinking you will usually have to reduce the amount of soda/tea/sugary drinks you can consume. Drinking a cup of water before your meal will reduce the amount of room in your stomach and you will feel full faster. Less Calories! Here's some basic math. If you can reduce your calories from soda/tea/sugary drinks by 350 per day (typical amount of calories in a gas station soda) and save the money you spend (my local convenience store is selling any size drink for $1) from now till Christmas you could cut about 7 pounds of weight and save around $100. You can use that money to buy a new Christmas outfit since you will be a few sizes smaller.
A few strategies to help you drink more water:
-Carry a water bottle. You tend to drink whatever is near and handy. Fill it/Drain it three to four times a day to see a major difference in your health and well being.
-Put yourself on a once a week soda purchase plan. Cutting soda out completely is tough to do, but by getting our habit under control we can save thousands of calories a week. Make it a money issue in addition to health. If you are normally spending $15 (in gas stations, at machines, groccery stores and at restaurants) per week, cut that back to $3 per week and bank the other $12. As you see your bank account growing you should also see your waist slimming.
Today is a Monday and tomorrow is a new month. Beginning of weeks and months are a great time to begin new habits. Good Luck!
Friday, August 28, 2015
Healthy Benefits of Reading
I have a natural love of reading. I love to read all kinds of books. I make it a habit to read about 15
non-fiction books every year. I also read plenty of fiction books as well. Reading was instilled in me early by
my Kindergarten teaching mom. That has been one of the best gifts she has given me. Reading has
opened so many doors in my life and helped me to become a much better, and well-rounded person.
Reading has its intellectual benefits, but it also has numerous benefits to your physical health as well. Here
are just a few that I came up with. Check out the link at the bottom of the post for an interesting article
on the same topic from Readers Digest.
1.) Reading before bed-time helps to put your body in a better state for sleep than watching TV. You will
sleep better and get more sleep when you read before going to bed. it has to do with the light coming off the
screen. It is very bad for your sleep cycles.
2.) You will snack less when you are reading late at night instead of watching TV. It is hard to eat potato
chips and ice cream when you are reading a book.
3.) I have heard from multiple sources that you burn more calories when you are reading than when you are
watching TV.
4.) Reading a book late at night takes discipline. It is much easier to turn on the TV and mentally and
physically shut down. By choosing to read you are building discipline. That "discipline muscle" you are
flexing and growing will help you out in other areas of your health.
5.) Reading this blog is hopefully encouraging to become healthier. Imagine all the great ideas you could
be getting if you were to check out 2 or 3 blogs per week.
Check out the link from RD.com for even more benefits to your health that come from reading. Oh Yeah,
Thank-you for reading this blog online. Now turn off your computer/device and go read a book or magazine.
www.rd.com/slideshows/benefits-of-reading/
non-fiction books every year. I also read plenty of fiction books as well. Reading was instilled in me early by
my Kindergarten teaching mom. That has been one of the best gifts she has given me. Reading has
opened so many doors in my life and helped me to become a much better, and well-rounded person.
Reading has its intellectual benefits, but it also has numerous benefits to your physical health as well. Here
are just a few that I came up with. Check out the link at the bottom of the post for an interesting article
on the same topic from Readers Digest.
1.) Reading before bed-time helps to put your body in a better state for sleep than watching TV. You will
sleep better and get more sleep when you read before going to bed. it has to do with the light coming off the
screen. It is very bad for your sleep cycles.
2.) You will snack less when you are reading late at night instead of watching TV. It is hard to eat potato
chips and ice cream when you are reading a book.
3.) I have heard from multiple sources that you burn more calories when you are reading than when you are
watching TV.
4.) Reading a book late at night takes discipline. It is much easier to turn on the TV and mentally and
physically shut down. By choosing to read you are building discipline. That "discipline muscle" you are
flexing and growing will help you out in other areas of your health.
5.) Reading this blog is hopefully encouraging to become healthier. Imagine all the great ideas you could
be getting if you were to check out 2 or 3 blogs per week.
Check out the link from RD.com for even more benefits to your health that come from reading. Oh Yeah,
Thank-you for reading this blog online. Now turn off your computer/device and go read a book or magazine.
www.rd.com/slideshows/benefits-of-reading/
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Bad Information
Be Aware (or Beware) of the information you are getting and where you are getting it from. When you start to get healthier and really feel the effects of many small choices, you may be want to start making more lifestyle and activity choices. Be careful where you are getting your information from. The internet has some very valuable and reliable info (like this blog) and some terrible advice as well. Your friends and loved ones also are great sources of information and they will also be terrible sources of information.
Let me illustrate this point with the story of some research I did last year about this time. I was interested in learning more about eating seeds and the health benefits that they provide. There is a wide variety of opinions about eating fruit seeds. The opinions range from the medical community's stance that if you swallow a Apple seed you will likely survive, but should consider calling Poison Control to what I will call the "Hippy" position that seeds are very beneficial to overall health. One belief is that Apricot seeds can cure cancer and on the other end of the spectrum I found that medical doctors called this belief foolishness. One post said that if you eat a cup (8oz) of Apple seeds you will likely die. I wholeheartedly agree with that, but if you eat a cup (8 oz) of tylenol you will also die. Does that mean we should never take tylenol?
You will need to use some common sense and try things out for yourself. I am not taking a position on the eating of seeds (I do regularly eat Apple seeds as part of my normal diet). I am just using this example to illustrate the spectrum of information that you will receive when you begin to research on the internet and with friends and family.
If you have heard of a healthy habit or practice that seems a little odd, but it is something you would like to try, by all means give it a shot in moderation. I have added coconut oil into my diet. I really went at it this winter because it was supposed to fight infection and kill cold germs. I didn't experience those benefits in a major way, but the whole jar only cost me about 15 bucks. Experiment and learn what works for you. Do it cheaply at first before making a major money commitment. I am sure that some of the information you receive will be great, some will need to be discarded.
I would love to hear your stories about some things you have tried and that worked, or even that failed, as you try to make healthy decisions. Have a great day, I am off to brew my green tea.
Let me illustrate this point with the story of some research I did last year about this time. I was interested in learning more about eating seeds and the health benefits that they provide. There is a wide variety of opinions about eating fruit seeds. The opinions range from the medical community's stance that if you swallow a Apple seed you will likely survive, but should consider calling Poison Control to what I will call the "Hippy" position that seeds are very beneficial to overall health. One belief is that Apricot seeds can cure cancer and on the other end of the spectrum I found that medical doctors called this belief foolishness. One post said that if you eat a cup (8oz) of Apple seeds you will likely die. I wholeheartedly agree with that, but if you eat a cup (8 oz) of tylenol you will also die. Does that mean we should never take tylenol?
You will need to use some common sense and try things out for yourself. I am not taking a position on the eating of seeds (I do regularly eat Apple seeds as part of my normal diet). I am just using this example to illustrate the spectrum of information that you will receive when you begin to research on the internet and with friends and family.
If you have heard of a healthy habit or practice that seems a little odd, but it is something you would like to try, by all means give it a shot in moderation. I have added coconut oil into my diet. I really went at it this winter because it was supposed to fight infection and kill cold germs. I didn't experience those benefits in a major way, but the whole jar only cost me about 15 bucks. Experiment and learn what works for you. Do it cheaply at first before making a major money commitment. I am sure that some of the information you receive will be great, some will need to be discarded.
I would love to hear your stories about some things you have tried and that worked, or even that failed, as you try to make healthy decisions. Have a great day, I am off to brew my green tea.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Calories are not Enemies
Calories are not the enemy of healthy eating. Calories are units of energy. They are much maligned and misunderstood. Can you imagine getting upset and worrying about "gallons" of gasoline or "watts" in a light bulb. A better understanding of calories and how they affect your life should help you make better food choices.
Here are some basics:
-Calories are a unit of energy
-The more calories a food contains, the more energy you get from that food.
-A healthy diet typically can include around 2,000 calories per day.
-The number of needed calories depends on many factors including: Metabolism (how fast your body burns the energy/calories it has), your activity level (a professional soccer player needs more calories than a high school science teacher to function during a typical workday), weight and gender.
-1 Pound of body weight equates to 3,500 calories
-In order to lose 1 pound you must burn 3,500 more calories than you eat.
-A typical 1 hour cardio workout can burn up to 700 calories while you are exercising. However, your metabolism will remain higher following exercise so you can continue to burn extra calories even at rest following a workout.
-Muscle tissue requires more calories than fat. A person who is muscular will burn more calories while at rest than a person who is leaner.
-Drinks (except for water) contain calories. Some drinks at Starbucks contain up to 800 calories (about 40% of your total calories for the day). A typical fountain coke (20+ oz.) will contain over 10% of your total calories for the day.
Some tips to maximize your calories:
1.) The type of Calories you ingest are not important to weight loss or gain. However, the type of calories you eat are very important when it comes to overall health.
2.) You should be getting about 65% of your calories from Carbohydrates. There are 2 types of Carbs, Simple (basic sugar found in cookies, cake and soda) and complex (fruit, veggies and whole grains). Make wise carb choices and go with complex carbs for the vast majority of your 65% (1300) calories per day.
3.) Protein should be about 10% of your calories and Fat should be around 25%.
4.) Don't drink your calories. Most people don't mentally compute the calories that they are drinking. But a soda, ice tea or lemonade at lunch at dinner can really add up quickly. Make water your beverage for at least one meal a day.
I hope that wasn't too technical or confusing. Quit treating calories like an unwanted relative. Gain a good understanding of them and how they affect your health. Make wise calorie choices.
Here are some basics:
-Calories are a unit of energy
-The more calories a food contains, the more energy you get from that food.
-A healthy diet typically can include around 2,000 calories per day.
-The number of needed calories depends on many factors including: Metabolism (how fast your body burns the energy/calories it has), your activity level (a professional soccer player needs more calories than a high school science teacher to function during a typical workday), weight and gender.
-1 Pound of body weight equates to 3,500 calories
-In order to lose 1 pound you must burn 3,500 more calories than you eat.
-A typical 1 hour cardio workout can burn up to 700 calories while you are exercising. However, your metabolism will remain higher following exercise so you can continue to burn extra calories even at rest following a workout.
-Muscle tissue requires more calories than fat. A person who is muscular will burn more calories while at rest than a person who is leaner.
-Drinks (except for water) contain calories. Some drinks at Starbucks contain up to 800 calories (about 40% of your total calories for the day). A typical fountain coke (20+ oz.) will contain over 10% of your total calories for the day.
Some tips to maximize your calories:
1.) The type of Calories you ingest are not important to weight loss or gain. However, the type of calories you eat are very important when it comes to overall health.
2.) You should be getting about 65% of your calories from Carbohydrates. There are 2 types of Carbs, Simple (basic sugar found in cookies, cake and soda) and complex (fruit, veggies and whole grains). Make wise carb choices and go with complex carbs for the vast majority of your 65% (1300) calories per day.
3.) Protein should be about 10% of your calories and Fat should be around 25%.
4.) Don't drink your calories. Most people don't mentally compute the calories that they are drinking. But a soda, ice tea or lemonade at lunch at dinner can really add up quickly. Make water your beverage for at least one meal a day.
I hope that wasn't too technical or confusing. Quit treating calories like an unwanted relative. Gain a good understanding of them and how they affect your health. Make wise calorie choices.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Crossover Benefits
SALE!!! 2 for 1!!!! These signs always grab my attention. My wife is currently at a restaurant picking up our dinner with a Buy One, Get One Free coupon. These deals can be really beneficial. If you are already planning to buy something, it can be awesome to get a bonus to go along with it. Sales like these can be a real time saver and budget helper.
Your health also can come with Buy One, Get One Free type activities. When you go out for a jog/run/walk you get the added benefit of fresh air for your lungs. It's a 2 for 1 special. Jog/Run/Walk also gives you the added bonus of craving additional water which helps to flush out toxins and cleanse your body overall.
A few of the other Buy One, Get One (or two or three or four) benefits are:
-Exercise lowers stress
-Going outdoors for fresh air exposes you to the sun (which in moderation, usually about 15-20 minutes per day is extremely healthy) which will provide needed vitamin D.
-Losing a few pounds reduces the weight and workload on your body which provides extra energy to go for a walk/jog which in turn provides an opportunity for more weight loss.
Health is a Spiral. You are either on an upward spiral where one healthy choice feeds another healthy choice which allows for another healthy choice or on a downward spiral which works in the opposite direction. That is why this plan can/will work for you. Make one good choice this week (less soda, more fiber, more exercise, a salad instead of burger, etc.) and it will feed your desire to continue making good choices. Put a stop to the downward spiral and start an upward cycle today.
Your health also can come with Buy One, Get One Free type activities. When you go out for a jog/run/walk you get the added benefit of fresh air for your lungs. It's a 2 for 1 special. Jog/Run/Walk also gives you the added bonus of craving additional water which helps to flush out toxins and cleanse your body overall.
A few of the other Buy One, Get One (or two or three or four) benefits are:
-Exercise lowers stress
-Going outdoors for fresh air exposes you to the sun (which in moderation, usually about 15-20 minutes per day is extremely healthy) which will provide needed vitamin D.
-Losing a few pounds reduces the weight and workload on your body which provides extra energy to go for a walk/jog which in turn provides an opportunity for more weight loss.
Health is a Spiral. You are either on an upward spiral where one healthy choice feeds another healthy choice which allows for another healthy choice or on a downward spiral which works in the opposite direction. That is why this plan can/will work for you. Make one good choice this week (less soda, more fiber, more exercise, a salad instead of burger, etc.) and it will feed your desire to continue making good choices. Put a stop to the downward spiral and start an upward cycle today.
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